HOMER has gone to The Birds!!!

My father, BIG PAUSE............is a rare bird.

He was raised by Gypsies, his extended Blackman Family. There was Big Mamma, Aunt Ruby, Aunt Lucille, Uncle Inous, Uncle Ustes(when not in the P-farm!! jail!!), Herman, Essie, Murial Lee, Gerald and probably Nellie in heaven, watching "Sonny". Pa(Homer Senior) had a lot of "kin" to watch his son. Funny thing, I'm not so sure who was watching who?? Daddy tells stories of having his diaper changed on pool tables with Inous. Entertaining himself , by jumping from house rooftops!!!! "Sonny" was the chosen one !!! He was a beautiful child and young man, and they would show him off, like a proud peacock!!! God love the Blackmans, but daddy was the only pretty one!!! His mother, Estelle Hartley, was not in his young life, but thank God her DNA was.
Now with his movie star looks, you would have thought a little patience would be thrown in??Think again!!
He is the most impatient person I have ever known in my life. Waiting in traffic, sends him into orbit. Trucks on the road, causes him to rant for hours, about over population!!!! I have never waited in line with him , ever in my life!!! because he does not wait in lines!!! He was known to vacuum under the table, while we were eating. There were not a lot of pit stops, on vacations, you peed when we stopped!!! or he had containers!!! NO time to stop, got to get there, in order to get home Quick!!! Homer is a testy man!!! Stupid people and things annoy him!!!
Now mom tells me he is becoming a "bird watcher" and a National Geographic Bird photographer!!! Now you know why I'm SO surprised!!!! At 78, daddy has found patience in taking pictures of BIRDS????? There is hope for all of us!! All of his Gypsy family, is smiling, on their job, well done!! and We who love this crazy old bird, marvel at his hidden talents.

Ready for "THE HOME"

I'm being attacked, as I type, by a late winter cold, and sinus infection.
January, February and working in middle school, my health card ran out.
I'm not a good patient, I'm needy.
My mother always suffered in silence, not me. I want everyone in a 5 mile radius to suffer with me, and on some days the radius is extended.
I sneeze Loud!! and cough Loud!! I want you to know how bad I feel!!!

Over the weekend, when I was beginning to feel "Off", I asked for someone in my family to come sit next to me. No-takers!!! So I grabbed my favorite blanket, wrapped my sick body up, and went out on the deck. To sun my self , like an iguana. My withered head exposed to the rays of comfort, I was bound for healing. When I was suddenly excited, by my Hart, coming out to be with me!! Until I heard, the toenail clipper!!!! and Hart yell, " Dad, come out here and look at Mom!" I did not get my feelings hurt, I took this as a great opportunity to give him some instructions on how I wanted to be treated at "The Home!!"
He listened and laughed and kept cutting his toenails!
1. Make sure someone "lotions me up", I want to glisten!!
2.Make sure my hair is cleaned, colored, and adorned with bows!!!
3. Wrap me in my favorite blanket, like a baby burrito!!!
4. Roll me into the sunshine and leave me there until dusk!
and........if you are a real sweet child, read to me. "That's a deal breaker, I'm not reading!!" spoke my use to be favorite child!!!!! " Can you at least refrain from cutting your toenails, during my sun worshiping session, when you roll me out, at "The Home"????? "Whatever you want, Mom!!!"

Note to self....call Emma!!!!

Apology.......I'm Thinking???

Tiger, Tiger, Tiger, you are killing me!!!! Your fall from grace, may forever change my golf viewing days. You were a machine, a well oiled golf machine. A young man, with everything. I'm sorry!!! I'm just not sure about what?? As a Bonnie rule, I do not care what people do in their beds, or floors, or cars, or behind closed doors!!!! People can have sex with penguins, I don't care, its none of my business.
What's Super Freaky to one, is not to the other.
So why apologize for your sexual conduct? Direct all apologies to your mom, wife, and children. Also any people who have lost jobs, because of your, being an idiot!!!
You don't owe me , the fan, anything. Except a good game of golf.

I have stuck by a President , that had cigars, in others orifices!!! and I would probably vote for him again.
I have watched many movies, with actors, that have had babies out of wedlock, slept with their sisters husbands, been in jail and on drugs. I guess I don't judge people too much, or maybe too well!!!!
Sports people fall from grace, just like the rest of us.
I just start off, putting people on pedestals, my mistake.
I will never look at you with Goo-Goo eyes, and respect your every stroke. Will I watch you again, maybe. I don't hold a grudge.
Tiger, your "wood" has been in more holes, than most of your balls. Bad choices, but I still think, your sex life is NONE of my business.
I care more that these pitiful young women could be so "quick" to be swooned, and think that they had a chance at the golden ticket!!!! Women everywhere, this doesn't have to be "Par for the Course!!" He is a married man, and he is not that cute!!!!
Tiger good luck in therapy, and can you foot the bill, so that every young girl, you screwed with, could have some therapy. That's fair..

My "King Cake" is not even digested, and You want me to FAST!!!!

Fat Tuesday to Ash Wednesday!!

Ash Wednesday-repent our sins, and fast.
To feel sorry for, regret. (definition for repent)

The ceremony of smearing ashes on my forehead, appeals to me. Compels me to ponder, and pray. Wonder what "branding me" with the symbol of the cross, would conjure up??

Repenting for past transgressions, not so much.
You see I have it covered.
I wake up asking for forgiveness and close my eyes, at night, asking for forgiveness.
Example of my daily prayer.
AM prayer-Jesus forgive me, because I will probably do something wrong today. I may have a lapse of judgement!!?? You made me, so I'm guessing, were OK!
Noon prayer-HELP ME!!!!!
Pm prayer-Thank you for the day, hope I did not disappoint you, and if I did SORRY, but....please remove that obstacle that has been in my path!!! remember we talked about it!!!You know with my impulse problems and quick tongue, move the obstacle!! thanks...love you.

So will a few ashes change my prayer??
It is a gentle reminder, that the cross is empty. Mass at 5:00. (yes I did eat the last piece of the King Cake!!)

OH CANADA!!!

I confess, I cry at all sporting events. I cry for the people who win, and lose.
The Winter Olympics, a big boo-hoo fest.

Started with the opening ceremonies. Maybe it is the music, the anticipation?? I don't have answers, I just know how I feel.

Youthful hope, is always contagious.

The digital magic, held me in an Olympic spell. Peaceful and strong. Honoring the ancestors, with such respect. Dressed in their native garb, and looking to the heavens. Even in a closed dome!!!

The marching of the athletes, flags waving, new outfits, Confidence oozing!!!

Then the floor and the ceiling became a canvas. There were whales swimming across the floor, spewing water. There was a three tiered cloth, hanging from the ceiling that turned into mountains. THEN....people suspended in air, skiing, snow-boarding down the mountain!!!

Every famous person from Canada was found, to participate.

K.D. Lang, singing Alleluia,with the audience dressed in white, and white lights everywhere.
I looked to see if the offering plate was being passed, because we were in church!!!

I love the Olympics, who doesn't want to cheer, and maybe hum..Oh Canada!!!!!!

Magic Chocolate

Grief does not go away because of Valentine's Day. Grief likes to celebrate all the holidays with me. Grief is co-dependent!!
Not only is it life altering, but very tiring. Your strength is used up! Remembering to breathe has returned to normal. My broken body gets out of bed, pretty easily. I get dressed and can drive a car, those normalcy's were gone in the acute stages of grief.

I returned to work, quickly after Ward's death. I knew my students would heal me. I knew that if I didn't move, I would remain in the fetal position. So I moved, and I continue to move.

The other day, I was feeling, a non-moving day coming on. A stomach bug was hovering and depression always lingers, waiting to pounce!!! Routinely I open my e-mail in the morning, this morning was no different. Yet it was!!!

A precious child, a former student, had sent me a Valentines letter. He is now in Korea. It was a Valentine from his heart, and it healed my wounded heart. His gift of magic chocolate, through his communication, helped me MOVE!!!

And Magic Chocolate has no calories!!!! LOVE,LOVE,LOVE!!!! being LOVED!!!!!

Bless You and Cover Your Mouth!!!!

German bacteriologist Julius Petri, devised the petri dish in 1887.

Little did he know, or maybe he did, that middle schools could be referred to as "Giant Petri Dishes!" by me!

When children are little and cute, parents haul them to the doctor, at the first cough.

When that cute cherub turns into a gawky, pimple faced, P.I.T.A. ( pain in the ass)teenager, we parents don't get close enough to them, to know if they are sick!!! No doctors are called. Drink some juice and go to bed early, as long as you "GO TO SCHOOL", "YOU ARE NOT THAT SICK!"

Middle school age children are sick and they stay sick, a very long time.
You see, they don't tell their parents they are feeling poorly. God forbid that they would miss out on any "Loaded Locker Gossip!"

So the petri dish, percolates!!

Case in point:
Student taking test.
Student will not stop blowing his nose.
Fifty Kleenex later, all on the floor.
(see photo above)

Slimmed, bacteria growing, petri dish is hungry!!!

Me, out sick yesterday, with the stomach BUG, with a cold brewing.

I'm so very thankful, this all still makes me laugh.

It's Not Polite To Stare!

My personality leans toward the "be early" everywhere rule. No hurry, no worry. The first in line, relax, unwind!!!
So naturally returning to Atlanta from Boston, recently, we arrived at the airport early. I stroll through the airport, I like watching people. Sipping my java, and accumulating new mags to read. Finding "my center" before I board an airplane, makes me a peaceful flyer.Observing the mass of humanity that travels, can unravel your nerves. Then seeing them trying to squeeze pieces of luggage, the size of three continents, into the overhead, I need to be calm.

As I was "people watching", I noticed this young man, an airline employee. He was wandering around asking people about, free computer crap, stuff. Normally that would not have even raised my eyebrows, but he looked like my Ward, and it startled me.His hairline, his teeth, his arms. I had a brief moment to be near my son again. I knew it wasn't Ward, but grief tries to trick you sometimes. Watching him for over an hour, from every angle, my heart pounding in my chest.
I asked Bill several times, didn't he look like Ward, and he agreed. I think my eyes filled with tears, were making him nervous. Sometimes I would notice Bill watching me, not knowing how to help me.Should I go say hello to this child, can I touch him? Maybe it would scare him? To tell someone that they look like your dead son, is not something you may want to hear? Would he be receptive of me hugging him? These are all thoughts running through my head, my eyes still locked on his every move. I could scar him for life, or he could understand my broken heart, what to do?

The time escaped me and we were boarding the plane, I had to walk near him. One last look at "the boy" and he smiled, Ward's smile, and it was OK. I was OK. The likeness of my child, gave me some comfort. It is to hard to try and explain. I just know that who ever said ,"It is not polite to stare" was wrong.

In My Next Life!!!

Grammy night 2010, has to go down as " over the top" wonderful.
The GIRLS, took the house down.
In my next life, I want to come back as a combo of Lady GaGa, Beyonce, and Pink, with some Fergie thrown in.
Amazing voices and performers, and very different. Different is being kind, Lady GaGa is so , outside of the box, she wears the box!! Pink's tattooed body, wrapped in ribbon, dipped in water, spinning and singing!!! It was better then the circus, no clowns involved!!!! Beyonce dressed in black, grabbing her crotch and hitting those notes, and dancing at the same time! Fergie, with her beaus in Black-Eyed Peas, I Gotta Feeling,yes you do!!!!
Stevie Nicks, should have just sung by herself, her gravel-sounding voice stands alone. That young Taylor Swift child, was the only weak- tweak in the program.
The boys were good, Green Day and Dave Mathews. Jamie Foxx, and others. Elton John singing with "The Lady" brought tears to my eyes. "Your Song", a song so dear to me, now loved by another generation. The Queen and The Lady, duet divas, filled my soul with joy!!!!
It was , The church of Mary J. Blige and Andrea Bocelli that took me to my knees. I think I began speaking in tongues!!!
A great night, was had by me!!!!
Of course!!! I have it taped, to watch over and over, every time I need a "pick-me-up" or a reminder of what my next life will be like!!! I tune in!!! Its "My Song"

Grandkids and Grammys and Plane Trips, Oh My!!

Just returned from a 4 day jaunt to Marblehead, Massachusetts. Visiting children and grandchildren, our January birthday pilgrimage. Adrian turned 4 and baby Finn, all of one year has passed. A Canadian clipper or goose?? had blown through the east coast, and we had 8 degree temps. This was a "no getting warm" weekend, filled with warmth.

This same Canadian weather system wreaked havoc on our plane trip. Two hours of turbulent, ups and downs, and side to side, ride in the sky!!!No bathroom breaks, no peanuts or pop, this was a wild ride. I repeated the 23 third psalm, over and over, just in case any atheist were not chipping in, threw in some extra!!!! Then I began my humming and pulled out my trash, movie mags. News about Brad and Angelina will relieve nausea in a minute, or make you nauseated!! Not me, I love my Hollywood hoopla, Dramamine in print!!! I was relaxing my death grip, when a young girl, holding her scarf like a vessel, scurried to the bathroom. NO PUKING on my plane trip!!! I began to turn the pages, looking for George Clooney, maybe he could soothe my , now churning, stomach.

We landed, with a hard thump, early!!! The horrible wind, had blown us all the way to Boston, in record time.

It was all worth it, Adrian saying, " Is Grandpa Baron and Uma here yet?" and " Can I go home with you?" Even baby Finn, had semi-mastered my name. U-ma, U-U-ma, Uma!!!! ( OK we practiced!)

I'm already thinking of when I can go back!!!!

LOOK for tomorrow's blog about the Grammys!!!